A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_URI::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/URI.php
Line Number: 101
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Router::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Router.php
Line Number: 127
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::open($save_path, $name) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::open(string $path, string $name): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 132
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::close() should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::close(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 294
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::read($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::read(string $id): string|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 168
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::write($session_id, $session_data) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::write(string $id, string $data): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 237
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::destroy($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::destroy(string $id): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 317
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::gc($maxlifetime) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::gc(int $max_lifetime): int|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 282
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_cookie_params(): Session cookie parameters cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 289
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 304
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 314
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 315
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 316
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 317
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 375
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_save_handler(): Session save handler cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 110
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_start(): Session cannot be started after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 143
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pdf is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 396
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_DB_mysqli_driver::$failover is deprecated
Filename: database/DB_driver.php
Line Number: 371
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$adminmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$leadmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$clientmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagination is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/models/Pagemodel.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagemodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$load is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pdf is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$adminmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$leadmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$clientmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagination is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagemodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Obama Administration Releases Final Regulations Impacting Wellness Programs, Changes Loom for 'Outcome-Based' Programs
Obama Administration Releases Final Regulations Impacting Wellness Programs, Changes Loom for 'Outcome-Based' Programs
By Frank Alvarez, Esq. and Joseph Lazzarotti, Esq. of Jackson Lewis LLP
In the latest round in the debate over employment-based wellness programs, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HSS), Labor and the Treasury have issued final regulations on the treatment of such programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While the new regulations raise the maximum permissible reward that may be offered in connection with certain wellness programs, they make clear that outcome-based financial incentives must be widely available to program participants. All employers who have incorporated outcome-based wellness program as part of their group health plan should review the new regulations carefully to ensure their programs are in compliance before the regulations take effect.
Increase in Maximum Permissible Reward under HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) generally prohibits group health plan sponsors from using a health factor as a basis for discriminating with regard to enrollment eligibility or premium contributions. Final HIPAA regulations issued in 2006 created certain exceptions for wellness programs that base eligibility or receipt of a reward, such as a premium discount under a group health plan, on satisfaction of a health factor. Under the 2006 regulations, wellness programs subject to HIPAA’s nondiscrimination standards, among other things, must limit the size of the reward to 20 percent of the cost of employee-only coverage under the plan. The new regulations raise the maximum permissible reward offered in connection with a health-contingent wellness program to 30 percent. This amount is raised to 50 percent for programs that seek to reduce tobacco use.
Changes to Outcome-Based Wellness Programs
Essentially adopting the position taken in the proposed regulations, the final regulations lay out specific rules for outcome-based wellness programs that reward employees for meeting certain goals, such as lowering their body mass index or cholesterol, or taking steps to meet goals, that will make it more difficult for employers to implement such programs. Perhaps most significantly, the regulations require that a reasonable alternative standard be provided for all individuals who do not meet the initial standard, to ensure that the program is reasonably designed to improve health and is not a subterfuge for underwriting or reducing benefits based on health status. This new requirement differs from what is required for activity-only wellness programs (where an individual is required to perform or complete an activity related to a health factor in order to obtain a reward). Activity-only programs require that a reasonable alternative standard for obtaining the reward be provided to individuals for whom it would be unreasonably difficult due to a medical condition or medically inadvisable to meet the existing standard. According to the preamble to the regulations, “[t]he intention of the Departments in these final regulations is that, regardless of the type of wellness program, every individual participating in the program should be able to receive the full amount of any reward or incentive, regardless of any health factor.”
* * *
The final regulations take effect 60 days from publication in the Federal Register and generally apply for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014.
The new regulations come on the heels of the EEOC’s May 8th meeting regarding the treatment of employer-sponsored wellness programs under federal equal employment opportunity laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Equal Pay Act. Testimony from the EEOC’s meeting emphasized that employers would like the EEOC to clarify its position on when a wellness program is voluntary under the ADA. No guidance on that issue appears to be forthcoming. Even if the EEOC releases guidance on this question, wellness programs still may face resistance from advocacy groups looking to challenge these programs under other EEO laws. For additional information about the EEOC’s meeting, please see our article EEOC to Take Closer Look at Employer Wellness Programs .
We will provide further analysis of the Obama Administration’s final regulations and continue to keep you apprised of the latest developments in the legal treatment of wellness programs. For additional information, please contact Frank Alvarez, AlvarezF@jacksonlewis.com, or Joseph Lazzarotti, LazzaroJ@jacksonlewis.com, who lead the Firm’s efforts to assist employers in the design and implementation of wellness programs that comply with federal and state laws.
© 2013, Jackson Lewis LLP. This Update is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal advice nor does it create an attorney/client relationship between Jackson Lewis LLP and any readers or recipients. Readers should consult counsel of their own choosing to discuss how these matters relate to their individual circumstances. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the express written consent of Jackson Lewis LLP.
This Update may be considered attorney advertising in some states. Furthermore, prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Jackson Lewis LLP represents management exclusively in workplace law and related litigation. Our attorneys are available to assist employers in their compliance efforts and to represent employers in matters before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. For more information, please contact the attorney(s) listed or the Jackson Lewis attorney with whom you regularly work.
VIEW RATINGS FOR INSURERS
Enter name of Insurance Company and press GO button.
© 2026 AGENTSOFAMERICA.ORG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
